Wednesday, October 21, 2026 Vol. I · No. 22 · Late Edition Print size
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The Wire
White House pulls reporter from press pool after Trump clash; WHCA alleges retaliation El-Sayed and Rogers trade sharp words in final Michigan Senate debate On tape: El-Sayed in the Senate debate: the SAVE Act would make women who changed their names dig up birth certificates to vote Ilhan Omar says agents took 17 items in raid, and threats will force her to move On tape: Asked to pledge no election interference, Kash Patel said he won't take part in a "charade of lies." Vance defends Ramaswamy ad using Amy Acton's estranged mother in Ohio race Democrats sue Trump and DOJ over pressure on state election officials before midterms On tape: Asked if hundreds of FBI agents in Georgia produced a single indictment, Kash Patel says: "Not if it was sealed." On tape: Schiff asks Kash Patel point blank: were Trump-case agents purged from the FBI? Trump's women's health order creates an NIH division but sets no dollar amount White House pulls reporter from press pool after Trump clash; WHCA alleges retaliation El-Sayed and Rogers trade sharp words in final Michigan Senate debate On tape: El-Sayed in the Senate debate: the SAVE Act would make women who changed their names dig up birth certificates to vote Ilhan Omar says agents took 17 items in raid, and threats will force her to move On tape: Asked to pledge no election interference, Kash Patel said he won't take part in a "charade of lies." Vance defends Ramaswamy ad using Amy Acton's estranged mother in Ohio race Democrats sue Trump and DOJ over pressure on state election officials before midterms On tape: Asked if hundreds of FBI agents in Georgia produced a single indictment, Kash Patel says: "Not if it was sealed." On tape: Schiff asks Kash Patel point blank: were Trump-case agents purged from the FBI? Trump's women's health order creates an NIH division but sets no dollar amount
Denise Powell U.S. House — Nebraska's 2nd District Likely D First run
NE-NE-2nominee

U.S. House — Nebraska's 2nd District · First run

Denise Powell

A political organizer who co-founded Women Who Run Nebraska, Powell upset state Sen. John Cavanaugh in the May primary for the Omaha-area seat left open by retiring Rep. Don Bacon. She faces Omaha City Councilmember Brinker Harding in a 'blue dot' district Harris won in 2024.

On the ballot against Brinker Harding (R)

Why it matters: Republican Rep. Don Bacon is retiring, giving Democrats a chance to flip an Omaha-area seat Republicans have held for a decade, in a district that voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in the last two elections.

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The race at a glance

Race ratingLikely DCook Political Report, Oct 16 source
Latest poll Powell 50% 38% Harding 12% undecided or other Powell +12▲ 8 this week Sep 14Oct 20National Public Affairs, Oct 20. Checked Today, 9:52 PM ET. Every poll
Money raised (through Sep 30) Powell$4,854,805 Harding$2,659,822 $990,892 cash on hand. source

Every poll in this race

PollsterDateSamplePowellHardingMargin
National Public AffairsOct 20377 LV50%38%D +12
SurveyUSASep 14182 LV · Margin of error ±12.2%46%42%D +4

LV = likely voters, RV = registered voters. Polls listed by 270toWin. Each pollster name links to its own release.

In Denise's own words

I’m running because there are kids in this state that can’t go to a doctor anymore because their parents lost their health insurance.
Denise Powell, at the Nebraska Public Media and Omaha World-Herald debate in Lincoln, Oct 14 source
My opponent is endorsed by Trump. He says Trump is doing great things. He thinks the tariff policy is great. He was supportive of this war in Iran, and it is crushing our neighbors.
Denise Powell, at the Oct. 14 debate in Lincoln, as aired on NPR's Morning Edition, Oct 14 source

Where Denise stands

Health care
She would build on the Affordable Care Act to keep premiums down, let Medicare negotiate prices on more drugs, cap insulin at $35 a month and create a Medicare-like public option. source
Social Security and Medicare
She pledges to protect Social Security at all costs to ensure a secure and dignified retirement, and to protect Medicare. source
Reproductive rights
She would fight to restore Roe v. Wade nationwide and supports the Right to Contraception Act and the Right to IVF Act. source
Ethics in Congress
She would ban stock trading by members of Congress, bar them from becoming lobbyists for life and support term limits and a Supreme Court ethics code. source
Immigration
She supports funding personnel and technology to secure the border along with a path to citizenship for Dreamers and long-term immigrants. source

The record

  • Co-founder of Women Who Run Nebraska
  • Won the May 12, 2026 Democratic primary over state Sen. John Cavanaugh
  • First run for Congress, in an open seat Harris won 51.6%–47.0%
ConfidentialThe GOP File

The file on Brinker Harding

  • Harding is vice president of the Omaha City Council and was endorsed by President Donald Trump in April 2026. source
  • At the Oct. 14 debate, Harding said the Iran war needs to be settled as quickly as possible because of high fuel prices, and that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. source
  • At the same debate, Harding claimed Powell supports sex education for kindergartners and transgender surgeries for minors; Powell said that is not true. source

Endorsed by

U.S. Sen. Mark KellyFormer Transportation Secretary Pete ButtigiegOmaha Mayor John EwingLincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor BairdCivil rights leader Preston Love Jr.

Profile sources: 1, 2, 3

Race data checked Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Quotes on this page were matched word for word against their sources.